Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag believes that five-time champions Australia will be scared to take on the in-form Indian team on their home fortress in the marquee ODI World Cup final at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The Rohit Sharma-led side has performed exceedingly so far in the tournament winning all their games in dominating fashion.
The match between the two heavyweights looks to be an exciting contest, with both teams desperate to win the coveted silverware given their strong forms and star-studded rosters in the playing 11. In the previous, the Men in Blue defeated the Pat Cummins-led by four wickets after having some initial hiccups in the chase of the modest total.
During a discussion with Cricbuzz, Given their outstanding form in the game, Virender Sehwag feels that India would have an advantage over Australia in the showpiece final. He anticipates a fiercely contested match on Sunday and reckons that the five-time champions wouldn’t ideally wish to play the Indian team in the final.
“India will surely have an advantage. Australia will be a little scared to face India in the final. To win the World Cup, the only team they wouldn’t have wanted to face in the final is India. Also, I don’t think that the pitch will make a big difference. It will be a tough contest and won’t be a one-sided affair,” Virender Sehwag said.
Since the 2011 ODI World Cup, the host nations have got their hands on the prestigious trophy for three consecutive times. Australia won the World Cup in 2015 and England won the trophy as hosts in 2019 beating New Zealand. Rohit Sharma-led side would fancy their chance to win the World Cup after being dominant throughout the event.
To Beat Australia, You Need To Play 100 Overs Of Good Cricket – Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag emphasized that India would face a difficult struggle if they were to defeat Australia in a knockout match because of their never-say-die mentality and stated that the team has experienced players in their team, who can make a massive difference in the marquee final.
“The likes of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Steve Smith were part of the team that won the World Cup final in 2015. They will share their experience of playing in the final with the group. In such a big match, it is important to give it all. Australia is one team that knows how to do that. They don’t give up very easily. To beat Australia, you need to play 100 overs of good cricket,” Virender Sehwag added.
Australia and India squared off against each other in their ODI World Cup opener. In the end, they will also take on each other in the high-octane encounter. The Men in Blue will be vying for their third World Cup title, while the Australians will look once again to showcase their talent to win the sixth title on the marquee event.
